Arts Fell on Alabama

Eric Essix: Southbound and Soul-Deep

Eric Essix is a guitarist and recording artist who lives and works in Birmingham, Alabama. He has released 29 albums to date maintaining a steady flow of new music that continues to push the boundaries of contemporary jazz. He has toured extensively with his own band, the Eric Essix Group, and with dozens of A-list artists as a sideman. In 1991, he was the youngest musician to be inducted into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame. Building on a foundation of faith and heritage, Essix continues to produce new music and participate in educating and mentoring the next generation of Alabama’s jazz musicians.  
People Get Ready was used with permission from Eric Essix. 
Arts Fell on Alabama airs weekly on Troy Public Radio. © 2026 Alabama State Council on the Art. 
 

Gary Chapman: Black and White and Art All Over

Gary Chapman is professor emeritus of painting and drawing at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. As an artist, he’s had an extensive career marked by solo and group exhibitions at national and international venues, as well as numerous grants and artist fellowship awards. He is a recipient of the 2026 Arts Impact Award from the Alabama State Council on the Arts. Learn more at garychapmanart.com. 
Special thanks to Dr. Laura King for conducting the interview. 
Arts Fell on Alabama airs weekly on Troy Public Radio. © 2026 Alabama State Council on the Art. 

Debbie Bond: Happy to Have the Blues

Debbie Bond is an internationally performing blues musician who splits her time between England, France, and Tuscaloosa, Alabama. She founded the award-winning Alabama Blues Project, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting and preserving the state’s blues heritage. The organization’s blues education initiatives have included in-school and after-school programs, exhibitions, workshops, and live Alabama blues showcases, impacting tens of thousands of people of all ages. 
Special thanks to Laura King, who conducted the interview. “Enjoy the Ride” used courtesy of Debbie Bond. 
Arts Fell on Alabama airs weekly on Troy Public Radio. © 2026 Alabama State Council on the Art. 

Erin Langley: Directing the Nicholson Center’s Next Act

High on the bluff in Old Town Daphne, an old community hall is stepping back into the spotlight. Eastern Shore Repertory Theatre founder and executive director Erin Langley is leading the renovation of the Nicholson Center, transforming it into a vibrant hub that will empower local performers, give access for all audiences, and elevate the cultural life of Alabama's Eastern Shore.  Her vision: a theater legacy that will serve generations to come.
Arts Fell on Alabama airs weekly on Troy Public Radio. © 2026 Alabama State Council on the Art. 

Ben Kaiser: Sticking to Mardi Gras Tradition

Mobile, Alabama’s Ben Kaiser (@ben.kaiser_art) is the owner and CEO of Mirth Artists, a Mardi Gras float production company. He and his team work year-round to design and build traditional papier-mâché floats for several of Mobile's most historic krewes including the Knights of Revelry, Crewe of Columbus, and Infant Mystics.
Every year, Kaiser consults with each group's parade committee to develop relevant themes and new, jaw-dropping designs. Then, together with his team of 15 artisans, they bring them to life as large-scale rolling tableaus. His mission, he says, is to preserve and showcase Mobile’s 300-year-old Mardi Gras float-building tradition.
Arts Fell on Alabama airs weekly on Troy Public Radio. © 2026 Alabama State Council on the Art. 
Sound Credits: 
Car Arriving, Idling, and Pulling Away by leonelmail -- https://freesound.org/s/429405/ -- License: Creative Commons 0 
MardiGras-Rex_2011_parade-amb.wav by soundesigner --https://freesound.org/s/116398/ -- License: Attribution 4.0 

Randi Pink: Mapping the Future

In a quiet room at the Homewood Public Library, young adult author Randi Pink is chasing her dream one sentence at a time. Here why Randi is working to put her name -- and Black stories -- literally on the map.
Learn more about Randi at RandiPink.com.
Arts Fell on Alabama airs weekly on Troy Public Radio. © 2026 Alabama State Council on the Art. 

Mary Rhodes: Pulling Out All the Stops

A church organist reflects on a “two‑week” fill‑in job that became a 50‑year calling and shares how sacred music, sacrifice, and joy shape her life at the keyboard.
Arts Fell on Alabama airs weekly on Troy Public Radio. © 2026 Alabama State Council on the Art. 

C.H. Wilson: All Hands on Art

C.H. Wilson is a Navy veteran living in Birmingham who finds healing and community while participating in InToto Creative Arts programs at his local VA.  
Arts Fell on Alabama airs weekly on Troy Public Radio. © 2026 Alabama State Council on the Art. 

Bethany Moody: Gifted with Thrift

Bethany Moody weaves history and sustainable practices into her fiber art, proving that even things that have been discarded can become useful once again. 
Arts Fell on Alabama airs weekly on Troy Public Radio. © 2026 Alabama State Council on the Art. 
Music: Victor Military Band, Emil Waldteufel, and Walter B Rogers. Dreams of Childhood. 1913. Audio. https://www.loc.gov/item/jukebox-133896/

Timothy Huffman III: Finding His Mission Through His Music

Meet Timothy Huffman III: Birmingham drummer, keyboardist, and founder of Exposure Community Development Corporation. Free music lessons changed the course of Tim’s life. Now, he’s helping the next generation of Birmingham kids find their groove through his nonprofit.  
Arts Fell on Alabama airs weekly on Troy Public Radio. © 2026 Alabama State Council on the Art. 

Bob McGough: Dungeons, Dragons, and Rough Drafts

Montgomery-based writer Bob McGough shares how a lifetime of playing Dungeons and Dragons prepared him for writing novels and short stories -- and vice versa!

2024 Wrapped: Sounds of Alabama

Treat yourself to some of 2024's best deleted scenes from your weekly dose of Southern creativity. Best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year from the Arts Fell on Alabama team!